News Detail

Weaver: Senate rejects improved version of school funding legislation

8/13/2017

Springfield – On Sunday, August, 13, Chicago Democrats forced through a override of Governor Rauner’s amendatory veto of Senate Bill 1, stripping away funding for needier districts to support special deals for Chicago, according to State Senator Chuck Weaver (R-Peoria).

“The Governor’s veto made this legislation into a fair system of funding for all needy schools,” said Senator Weaver. “His changes would have prioritized equitable funding for all schools instead of sending hundreds of millions of dollars in special deals to Chicago.”

Democrats actually passed SB1 back in May, but delayed sending it to the Governor for two months. Once received, Rauner, within 24 hours, immediately used his amendatory veto on the legislation to remove hundreds of millions in special deals for Chicago schools, which freed up more money to go through the evidence-based model to be distributed to schools that need it most.

Weaver noted the vast funding increases that the veto provided to local schools. Peoria schools would have received $3.9 million more under the veto than under SB1. Mercer County 404 would have picked up an additional $249,049 more than under SB1. Kewanee would have added $613,132 more than under SB1.

“Despite a recent campaign of misinformation waged by Chicago Democrats on the effects of the veto, particularly in regard to Peoria, data from the Illinois State Board of Education proves that the veto created a better funding formula for the schools in my district,” said Senator Weaver.

“Now the only fair way forward is to put together a compromise bill in the House on Wednesday to make sure our schools are funded this fall,” said Senator Weaver. “We need our Democrat colleagues to work with us in good faith on a real solution that makes sure all students have the same access to a quality education.”